Planning for this year’s conference is well underway, and we’re so excited to open Summit 2023 Call for Speakers (CFS) today, through April 13th at 11:59 pm PST. For complete details on how to submit, make sure to read our comprehensive CFS Guide (Please note that the CFS Guide dates will be updated by early next week.)
As you’ve likely heard, PASS Data Community Summit returns to Seattle, Washington, November 14-17, exclusively in person.
From the Summit 2022 feedback, as well as this year’s in-person setting, we’ve simplified and reduced the program to 173 sessions, broken down into 129 community and 44 sponsor sessions. The submissions we receive from the Call for speakers will help us fill in the following breakdown of the 129 community sessions:
Last year, Learning Pathway sessions were fully curated. This year, we would like to open the opportunity to everyone by accepting Learning Pathways through the CFS. Please make sure to prepare a detailed outline of your pathway sessions and speakers, which will act as your Abstract. Make sure to add all the session speakers in the Add Participant section as you go through the process. We’ll also be looking for interesting panel sessions and, of course, Lightning Talks. If you have any questions about Summit 2023 Call for Speakers, please let us know at speakers@passsummit.com.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our Community Insights Survey, that ran from February 9th to the 23rd. Your feedback is invaluable and plays a big part in developing the balance of content for the Summit program each year. Check out the results of the survey here.
Based on the results of the insights survey, we’ll be aiming for the following breakdown of content by track – we’ve included a brief description of what we’re looking for:
Topics surrounding the process of analyzing of data including loading, cleaning, and querying of data for purely reporting purposes.
Topics about how computing processes and systems are structured. These may include high-level system configuration, data structures, internal processing, database design, etc. Generally, these topics should not be about writing code so much as why platforms, languages, etc. are set up or built in a certain way. Note that architecture topics may share some characteristics with other technical topics.
Tools and concepts about the ongoing management of different data processing platforms. Includes topics on backups and restores, performance tuning, installation, security, and any activities that are required to keep databases running their best.
Writing code in any language that is used to do business, including procedural and relational programming, for any reason other than strictly analytics or data platform management. For example, writing code to manage backups would be database management, while writing code to general processes like capture customer data would be development.
Typically, non-technical sessions that have a goal of teaching about the processes of developing the attendee as an employee or as a person. Topics could include teaching about things like collaboration, mental health, life-work balance, diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, or accessibility.
As planning is in full swing, we want to ensure that we make every effort at to ensure a diverse, accessible, and inclusive conference. To support this, we expect all speakers to consider how to make their sessions and content accessible for all by considering the following when applying for Summit 2023 Call for Speakers:
We’re also interested to know what we can do to support you, our speakers, to make the event inclusive for you, which you can let us know when you register for Summit, or by reaching out to us at speakers@passsummit.com.
Appreciation for speakers is always on our mind and this year, we are providing a 3-day registration to the main conference to speakers selected from this call for speakers. There are additional benefits provided depending on the session type, which are:
| Pre-conference Session | 1-day Pre-Con registration
3-day Summit registration 1-night of hotel Honorarium of $200 (USD) per paid registered attendee of the pre-con Optional speaker shirt |
| Keynote Session | 3-day Summit registration
1-night of hotel One-time, flat fee, honorarium of $1,000 (USD) Optional speaker shirt |
| Deep Dive, Learning Pathway, & General Session | 3-day Summit registration
1-night of hotel Optional speaker shirt |
| Panel & Lightning Talk Sessions | 3-day Summit registration
Optional speaker shirt |
As planning is in full swing, we want to ensure that we make every effort to ensure a diverse, accessible, and inclusive conference. To support this, we expect all speakers to consider how to make their sessions and content accessible for all by considering the following:
Increase representation of diversity, which could be visible or invisible differences – everyone at Summit should feel they can show up as their authentic self.
Ensure fair access to opportunities for everyone by spotting individual and systemic biases. Initiate or welcome discussion to recognize and respond to bias.
Foster an environment where people with different identities feel welcomed, valued, and safe.
We’re also interested to know what we can do to support you, our speakers, to make the event inclusive for you, which you can let us know when you register for Summit, or by reaching out to us at speakers@passsummit.com.
| Call for Speakers opens | Mar 09 |
| Call for Speakers Early-bird Deadline | Mar 30 @ 11:59pm PST |
| Call for Speakers Deadline | Apr 13 @ 11:59pm PST |
| Abstract Review | Apr 17 – Jul 11 |
| Early-bird Results Notification (to accepted speakers) | May 11 |
| Early-bird Announcement | May 18 |
| Call for Speakers Results Notification | Jul 12 |
| Main Program Announcement | Jul 13 |
Important note: The Early-Bird deadline is for those interested in being considered for the Community Keynote, Pre-Con sessions, and Learning Pathways. Those not selected as Early-bird picks will still be considered for the main program and will be notified of the final results in June.
We hope that you’re as excited as we are and will consider submitting a session, or more, for this year’s PASS Data Community Summit Call for Speakers. If you have any questions, or need help with the submission process, make sure to contact us at speakers@passsummit.com.
It’s been just over three months since PASS Data Community Summit 2022. The organizing team at Redgate has been busy debriefing and planning, and now we’re excited to share an update with the community about what went well and what we learned from last year’s event.
Firstly, we’re incredibly grateful to all our attendees who shared their feedback with us through the post-Summit survey, on social media, and with us directly –a big thank you for all the insights you’ve shared. So – what were the highlights from Summit 2022?
One headline is that the event itself was overwhelmingly positively received, particularly by in-person attendees, who gave Summit 2022 a 4.5/5 star rating. As well as that amazing star rating, 95% of attendees reported that they met their personal goals for the event, and 95% also told us they took away actionable information that they could apply day to day.
The top three reasons for registering for PASS Data Community Summit include: learning from the sessions, keeping up to date with the latest trends and technologies, and networking and connecting opportunities. We’re incredibly proud of the 400+ sessions delivered at Summit 2022, with the top-attended sessions rating 4.7/5 or above.
Our 356-strong speaker line-up included 39% of speakers who were new to Summit, and we’re delighted to support and champion these folks who’ll be future influential voices in the community. The community-curated learning pathways were popular, and Microsoft’s GA announcement for SQL Server 2022 was a particular highlight, with many of the related sessions seeing high attendance and ratings.
“Travelling to Seattle and meeting the #SQLFamily” were also called out as top reasons for attending.
In the spirit of continuous improvement, there were also some key learnings for Redgate as event organizers based on the 2022 feedback from Summit.
In 2022, we listened to feedback and shared our goal of at least 40% of our 2022 speakers coming from underrepresented groups. We exceeded this goal – with 42% representation of underrepresented groups across speakers, co-speakers, and moderators – to make Summit a more diverse and welcoming event. We were also excited to welcome 40% of our global audience who were experiencing Summit for the very first time.
The formation of our community-driven DEI steering group was also a big success, and we’ll be continuing to improve our approach to diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging (DEIB) in 2023.
Although both online and in-person attendees rated the event highly, we saw a discrepancy in these ratings. NPS (net promoter) scores, in particular, came in at 67 for the in-person event (on the cusp of excellence!), whereas online NPS scores sat at 44 – still good, but substantially lower. This aligns with industry data we’ve seen from other hybrid events.
On the whole, we have good evidence that the online version of the event hasn’t created the same valuable experience as going to Summit in person. We were also hoping that the online option might allow people who couldn’t travel internationally to get a flavor of the Summit experience, but in the end, 85% of Summit online attendees were based in the US or Canada, so this option didn’t serve the global community as effectively as we’d hoped.
From an operational perspective, managing an online event at the same time as an in-person Summit added significant complexity. This, combined with the mixed attendee feedback, and a desire to deliver a solid and engaging in-person event, has informed our decision to run Summit exclusively in-person this year.
We’ve already applied this lesson to our plans for 2023 – this year’s Summit will be in-person only, rather than a hybrid event. To find out more about Summit 2023, check out our recent save-the-date blog post.
Something else we heard from the community, both at the event and in post-event surveys, is that Summit attendees are looking for content that covers a more diverse range of subjects, not just SQL Server: you want to hear about database technologies such as PostgreSQL, and broader subjects relevant to the data field, like analytics, machine learning & AI.
Our ecosystem of sponsors (including the team at Redgate!) welcomes this insight, and we’re excited to shape the 2023 program to meet the evolving needs of the community.
This is just the beginning. The best ways to stay up to date with plans for Summit 2023 are by signing up for regular news in your inbox and following us on Twitter.
The wait is over. We’re excited to announce that PASS Data Community Summit is returning to Seattle on November 14-17! Read on to find out what’s in store for Summit 2023.
This year, the week-long conference will take place exclusively in person. We’re always looking to improve and evolve Summit for the data community, and last year’s feedback from sponsors, speakers, and attendees made it clear what you all value most: the human connection that only an in-person conference can bring. We’ll be sharing more about the feedback we received from Summit 2022 in a followup post next week.
Although both online and in-person attendees rated the 2022 event highly, we saw a discrepancy in these ratings. NPS (net promoter) scores, in particular, came in at 67 for the in-person event (on the cusp of excellence!), whereas online NPS scores sat at 44 – still good, but substantially lower. This aligns with industry data we’ve seen from other hybrid events. On the whole, the feedback we’ve heard suggests that the online version of the event hasn’t created the same valuable experience as going to Summit in person – and we want to target our effort at creating the magic right where it happens.
This change means that we can focus on growing the in-person networking opportunities, access to experts, and high-quality training that so many Summit attendees value.
We’ll be balancing this change with a more focused program. Despite last year’s program being the biggest and best yet, we heard feedback that the volume of sessions was too high, and some sessions weren’t well attended due to clashes. So you can expect clearer themes and fewer tracks, making it easier to build your perfect schedule.
While there’s good evidence that focusing our time and energy on delivering a solid and engaging in-person event, we appreciate that this is a difficult decision for those of you who find attending Summit in person prohibitive for whatever reason. One way we’ll help the whole community access Summit is by making on-demand recordings available to purchase for everyone after Summit, including for those who aren’t able to attend in-person. Registered attendees will have access included until Feb 19, 2024. We’ll also be exploring what else we can do to make Summit more accessible.
PASS Data Community Summit’s heritage is rooted in the Microsoft data platform, and this historic focus continues to be incredibly popular with our attendees. However, adoption of database platforms and technologies is continually evolving, and we’ve heard this from the community too. Given Summit’s focus on surfacing innovation and new trends, you can expect to learn about a variety of database platforms beyond the Microsoft data platform, including PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Oracle, and MySQL. We’ll also be seeking session submissions on analytics, machine learning & AI, and more. We’re also aiming to maintain our goal (which we exceeded in 2022) of 40% of speakers, co-speakers and moderators coming from underrepresented groups. And we’re excited to welcome a new group of first-timers to Summit!
This is just the beginning. The best ways to stay up to date with plans for Summit 2023 are by signing up for regular news in your inbox and following us on Twitter. And we’ll be sharing another update shortly on our key insights and takeaways from Summit 2022.
What would you like to learn at Summit 2023? We’re shaping the program and we’d love your input so we can bring you the most relevant themes and speakers at Summit. As a thank you, you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a 3-day conference pass to attend PASS Data Community Summit 2023! The survey closes February 23rd, 9 pm PST. Complete the survey here.
Have you ever thought about becoming a member of our program committee? Submit your application here.
The committee reviews and rates abstract submissions from the Community Call for Speakers, ensuring a balanced and diverse program for all. The abstract review will run for six weeks, from April 7 to May 19. There are several other volunteer opportunities leading up to and during the Summit, which you can also register your interest for. Applications for the program committee close on Thursday, February 23, 2023, at 11:59 pm PST, and results will be emailed to all applicants by March 16, 2023.
Less than a month before Summit kicks off, and we couldn’t be more excited to share the latest PASS Data Summit Community news with you.
It’s been too long since the community last met in person, and we can’t wait to see you all both in Seattle and online this year. Read through the post for some fresh news, and benefits. Make sure to register if you haven’t done so yet, and see you in November!
In the new video, you get a quick recap of what makes Summit so amazing and what to look for if this is your first time attending. Also, a great tool to share the excitement with your friends who might be willing to join as well. Share away!
Register for the All-In-One Bundle and get Bob Ward’s NEW book!
As if a full week of learning, exclusive gifts, and receptions wasn’t enough, Microsoft has a gift for you! Get a paperback copy of Bob Ward’s new book “SQL Server 2022 Revealed” when you sign up for the All-In-One Bundle. Bob will be at Summit bringing his knowledge to Pre-Cons and sessions and will be hosting a book signing at Microsoft’s booth. So hurry up and register today!
Of course, if you already registered for the Al-In-One Bundle, you’ll also get a book 😉.
Join the fun! Participate in the community events.
Summit is all about bringing fun and exciting moments to the community, even when it takes place outside of conference hours. Get the latest scoop on the community events happening during Summit’s week and let the good times roll.
Check Brent Ozar’s blog on why he’ll spend his time at Summit hanging out at the Community Zone.
Learn about his Pre-Con: Mastering Parameter Sniffing and other benefits of attending (worth $395), and why you shouldn’t his sessions: Everything You Know About Parallelism Is Wrong, and Fragmentation Explained in 10 Minutes.
For more PASS Data Community Summit news, follow us on Twitter @PASSDataSummit.
See you soon at #PASSDataCommunitySummit 2022!
Nutanix is a global leader in cloud software and a pioneer in hyperconverged infrastructure solutions, making clouds invisible, freeing customers to focus on their business outcomes.
Sign up to stay up to date with news, special announcements and educational content.
Redgate will only contact you about PASS Data Community Summit (in line with our Privacy Policy) unless you separately request emails about Redgate. You can unsubscribe from these updates at any time.
